Dental instrument



J. V. BOONE DENTAL INSTRUMENT Filed Oct. 28, 1966 Oct. 14, 1969 w 4 mmg? ma a. 3.6. 3.6%. "$5. $2. u .22. 33: .13..

FIG. 2

FIG 4 FIG.

FIG. 3

3,471,929 DENTAL INSTRUMENT James Vanues Boone, 115 Meadows Bldg,Dallas, Tex. 75215 Filed Oct. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 590,411 Int. Cl. A61c3/00 US. Cl. 322-40 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF TIE DISCLOSURE Thisspecification discloses the invention of a dental instrument in the formof an elongated tool member having a cutting blade that is bothadjustable and removable by manipulation of a portion of the elongatedmember, and which instrument includes a plurality of intricately shapedblades for performing specific dental operations.

This invention relates generally to dental equipment and morespecifically to hand held instruments which may be used to perform gumcutting operations as may be required in dental work.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a dentalinstrument which may be used for any gum cutting operation likely to beencountered in practice in the dental field.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dental cuttinginstrument having an adjustable and replaceable blade unit that may bequickly and positively positioned at a desired angle or replaced withthe same or dissimilar blade unit.

And yet another object is to provide a cutting instrument including abody, a mandrel, a floating pin and a tightener plug whereby the bladeunit is bound to the body only by the quickly releasable pressurebetween the body and the tightener plug.

A further object is to provide a dental cutting instrument that isadapted to utilize efiicient but economical blade units so that anyblade need be used only once in practice.

And a primary object of the preferred embodiment of this invention is toprovide an integral blade unit comprised of a polygonal mandrel havingfour, six, or other number of sides for insertion into a similar sidedhole in the body of the dental instrument, and a blade that ispermanently attached to the mandrel for rapid replacement.

An object of another embodiment of this invention is to provide aninstrument of the type described which employs a blade holding mandrelthat may be rotated 360 relative to the instrument handle to attain theoptimum blade positioning.

And another object of the second embodiment is to provide a cuttinginstrument as above wherein the attachment between the blade and themandrel will permit the blade to be rotated 360 relative to the bladeholding mandrel.

And a further object is of the second embodiment to provide a dentalcutting instrument including generally circular mandrel and a floatingpress pin each having a cooperating lock means for special uses.

And still a further object of this invention is to provide a pluralityof unique cutting blades for special uses in the dental instrument ofthis invention.

Another object of the principal embodiment of this invention is toprovide a mandrel that may be made of plastic and attached directly,permanently and economically to a metal (such as stainless steel) blade.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from anexamination of the following specificanited States Patent "ice tionstaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 represents a plan view (relative to the preferred position ofintended use) of the preferred embodiment of the dental instrument ofthis invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the instrument of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of the blade unit detached from the instrumentbody.

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the blade unit of FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a top view of the blade unit of FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional view of the instrument of the secondembodiment of this invention; and

FIGURE 7 shows a plurality of separate blades (A-D) that may be employedwith the instrument of FIGURE 6, or the blade unit of FIG. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference in thedrawing, it will be observed that the dental instrument of thisinvention, identified generally at 2 in FIGURES 1 and 2 includes: anelongated body 3 comprised of two principal members, a forward section 4and a rearward plug section 5; and a blade unit 30 having a blade 31therein; and an internally located floating press pin 8.

The forward section 4 of the body 3 includes a threaded bore 11 whichextends to one end of section 4 in one direction and joins a smallerstraight bore 12 in the other direction. Bore 12 extends in the saidother direction until it intersects a cross bore indicated at 13 nearthe foremost end of section 4.

The rearward plug section 5 includes a main portion of the same diameteras the forward section 4 and includes a reduced diameter threaded studportion 14 adapted to engage the threaded bore 11. p

The blade unit 30 is integrally formed of a polygonal (generally 3-8sides) mandrel that has an elongated body of relatively small crosssection and a blade (usually of stainless steel). The cross sectionshown in the drawing, FIGURES 2-5, is square, although in actualconstruction it may be rectangular, multi-sided, fluted or any of anumber of configurations. Mandrel 32 has a reduced square head section34 that is formed to fit into the square opening in blade 31. Mandrel 32may be molded to shape while in contact with blade 31, or an axiallyextending end of section 34 may be fused to blade 31 by local heat. Ineither method, a lobe 35 is formed that overlaps the edges of theopening in the blade to permanently join the mandrel and blade.

In operation, the blade unit 30 is installed in opening 13 of theforward section 4 of body 3, in such a manner that the integrallyattached blade 31 will be at the desired position for the surgical workto be performed. Since the entire blade unit 6 is economical andconsidered disposable, it may be discarded after a single use andreplaced with another blade unit 30 having the same or different shapeof integral blade therein. During use if it becomes desirable to movethe blade unit 30 longitudinally in opening 13, or change the angle ofthe blade 31 relative to the body 3, the rearward plug section 5 may beloosened and blade unit 30 either moved in the opening 13 or removedfrom opening 13 and reinserted at the new portion, and then section 5 isretightened to firmly resecure the parts together.

Referring now to the second embodiment shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, it willbe seen that the general construction is similar to the principalembodiment of FIG- URES 1-5. The distinction between the two embodimentslies in the blade unit 6, which is constructed in three parts, agenerally circular mandrel 26, a separate and readily detachable blade7, and a round head screw 15 that binds the mandrel and blade together.

The mandrel 26 has an elongated body of relatively small cross-section.The cross-section shown in FIGURE 6 is circular, although this mandrelalso may be polygonal in cross-section. Mandrel 26 has an enlarged headsection 9 that is flat on the exposed side and has a threaded bore toreceive screw 15 which has a flat underside, so that the flat surfacesof the mandrel and screw cooperate to bind blade 7 at installation.

FIGURE 7 shows a plurality of different blades, each having a specialconfiguration, for use in the dental instrument of this invention. Theblade shown at A may be used for getting at locations where a directline of site is not available. The blade shown at B is useful where aslight curved blade is needed, and the blade shown at C is used where agreater curvature and the absence of a point is needed. The blade shownat D is a modification of the regular blade 31 of FIGURE 1. These bladesmay be made of surgical steel or of a grade of stainless steel or othermaterial that will permit a razor like edge 22 to be formed thereon. Theblade includes a central opening 23 slightly larger than the diameter ofscrew 15.

A blade 31 having the shape of any of the blades 7A-7D may also be usedas an integral part of the blade unit 30 in the embodiment of FIGURES land 2.

In operation, using the second embodiment, the mandrel 26 is usuallyleft installed in the body member 3, and includes its head screw 15loosely threaded in place, but without a blade. It is desirable indental surgery, where a blade is employed for cutting a patients gums,and where the blade may come in contact with a jawbone, that the bladebe discarded after each use and a fresh blade be used for each patient.So at the start of each use of this instrument, the mandrel head screw15 will be removed and the desired blade installed on the enlarged headsection 9 and screw 15 tightened to hold the blade securely in place.The desired angular position of the mandred is then determined, and plugmember '5 is loosened to permit setting the mandrel and then member isretightened. When member 5 is tightened it presses axially againstelongated press pin 8 which in turn presses against and binds mandrel 26against the walls of its bore 13a.

In use it is of course very simple and rapid to loosen the plug member 5and reset the angular position of mandrel 26 and blade 7 as conditionsencountered may change during the course of dental surgery. Theinstrument 2 is usually held by the dentist in the same manner he Wouldhold a pencil, and the blade is usually but not necessarily at the lowerend of the mandrel.

Also a locked mandrel position may be employed by sliding the mandrel 26in its bore 13a until the top flat notch 16 is aligned with tip 17 ofpress pin 8. The arrangement will insure a positive lock againstrotation of mandrel 26 in its bore 13a. A positive lock against axialmovement of the mandrel 26 may be attained by inserting tip 17 in groove18, which may include a flat of a similar nature to flat notch 16.

Using the preferred embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2 and the integral bladeunit 30, having a one piece blade and mandrel, it Will be seen that anextremely fast and convenient construction is provided to change orreplace blades during use.

Body section 5 of both embodiments is knurled throughout its externallength, whereas section 4 (or 4a) is knurled only to the start of itsreduced diameter portion 19 which joins the knurled portion by means ofa tapered portion 20. Portion 19 includes a fiat area 21 at its foremostend, and all edges of portion 19 as well as all exposed edges of theentire instrument 2 are beveled or rounded to prevent injury to thepatient or to the dentist. The forward section of the body 3a of tool 2ahas been renumbered 4a in FIGURE 6 since it is not interchangeable withthe forsection 4 of FIGURES 1 and 2. The difference between 4 the items2, 2a; 3, 3a; 4, 4a; is that the bore 13a of the embodiment of FIGURE 6is circular in cross section to receive the circular mandrel 26, whereasthe bore 13 of the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2 is polygonal in crosssection.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced a device which substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein. The invention is not limited to theexemplary construction herein shown and described, but may be made inmany ways within the spirit of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A dental instrument comprising:

(a) an elongated body having a forward section and a separable rearwardsection;

(b) a replaceable blade unit adapted to be selectively positioned in oneof said sections;

(c) said blade unit including a mandrel and a separate material blade,

(d) said blade projecting transversely outward from said mandrel andhaving an elongated cutting edge,

(c) said elongated body defining a transverse opening therethrough,

(f) said mandrel extending through said opening and transversely throughsaid body,

(g) said blade unit being adapted to be located and locked at severaldifferent functional positions in said transverse opening and relativeto the axis of said transverse opening,

(h) and means between said blade unit and said elongated body forlocking and positively preventing rotation of said blade unit during useof said dental instrument.

2. A dental instrument as in claim 1, wherein said blade unit isreplaceable as a unit in said forward section, and wherein said meansfor locking and positively preventing rotation includes at least onefiat surface on said mandrel.

3. A dental instrument as in claim 2, wherein said mandrel is polygonalin cross section, and wherein a press pin is installed in said elongatedbody and is adapted to bind against said fiat surface and provide saidmeans for locking and positively preventing rotation of said blade unit.

4. A dental instrument as in claim 2, wherein said mandrel and bladeform an integral blade unit having an L- shaped configuration.

5. A dental instrument as in claim 4, wherein said mandrel is plastic incomposition and is molded to said blade which is metal in composition.

6. A dental instrument as in claim 2, wherein said mandrel and blade areseparable pieces and said mandrel includes means for readily replacingsaid blade at a selected angle in a transverse plane relative to saidmandrel.

7. A dental instrument as in claim 2, wherein said mandrel is a memberhaving an enlarged head section for receiving said blade, and whereinsaid head section defines means including a flat surface to permit saidblade to be rotated 360 on said flat surface to a desired location.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 462,445 11/ 1891 Metzger 3240 XR812,567 2/1906 Ivory 3240 XR 1,497,749 6/ 1924 Diack 32-46 2,805,4759/1957 Adams 30164.9 3,367,335 2/ 1968 Ward et al. l28305 OTHERREFERENCES Catalogue of Dixon Tool Co., Newark, N.J., 1933, 2 pp.Crane-Kaplan Instruments, 1934, copy page showing tools.

ROBERT PESHOCK, Primary Examiner H. DINTZ, Assistant Examiner

